Page 86 of Pieces of Me

“You’re such an idiot,” I tell him.

He feigns hurt, putting a hand to his heart. “You tell a girl you love her, and she calls you an idiot…”

“Maybe you’re an idiot for loving me.”

His eyes flash, and he leans forward again. He says, his voice low, firm, “Knock it off with the self-deprecation shit, or I’ll bend you over right on this table and fuck you in front of the Greeleys.” He glances over at the couple before meeting my eyes again, a barely contained smirk shaping his lips. “We can put on a show,” he chuckles. “Maybe give ’em a heart attack.”

I shake my head, watching the boy I lovebeeverything I love about him. “I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah?” he asks, eyebrows raised.

I nod.

“Good,” he states. “Because I was barely breathing without you, Jamie.”

* * *

“Stop it!” I look from the now open box, bypassing Holden’s wide smile until I meet his eyes. “You got me rollerblades?!”

We’re sitting in his truck, still in the diner parking lot. The moment we got in, he reached into the back seat, grabbed a wrapped present, and handed it to me. It took all of three seconds for me to open it.

Holden nods. “Well, I feel like a dick about what happened to your other ones, so it was only fair I get you a new pair.” He motions to the back seat. “Got you a new helmet and pads too. And, going by the few seconds I saw you on those things, you’re going to need them.”

I bust out a laugh and settle down just as fast. Reaching up, I cup his jaw, run the pad of my thumb over his overnight stubble. “You know, you don’t have to buy me things to show me—”

“Uh, yeah, I do,” he cuts in. “Because you know what else—besides taking you on dates—I didn’t fucking do while we were together?”

I drop my hand. “Buy me gifts?”

“Uh-huh.” He nods.

“You bought me the pendant and the puzzle…”

“But we weren’t together.”

“And we are now?”

“We better be,” he says, “otherwise I’m going to bend you over—”

“Okay!” I laugh out. “I get it.”

“I’m just playing,” he says, pushing forward to press his lips to my forehead. “I was thinking we go to the nursery so you can practice.”

My smile is instant, and as much as I try to hide it, he sees it anyway.

Eyes still on mine, he settles back in the seat and brings his truck to life. “And maybe you can hang out with Mags for a bit.”

I kiss his cheek. “You’re the best boyfriend I’ve ever had.”

He puts the car in reverse but doesn’t move. Then, eyeing me sideways, he asks, a suspicious lilt in his tone, “I thought I was the only boyfriend you’ve ever had.”

“Exactly.”

* * *

Holden’s truckbarelyenters the driveway before Maggie comes into view, rushing out of the barn, dropping buckets of flowers on the way. I’m bouncing in my seat, and she’s bouncing on her feet, and I’m so eager to get out and greet her that it takes three tries for me to even open the door. The minute I’m out of the truck, our bodies collide, and our laughter does the same.

We’re jumping, hugging each other, and laughing like childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in years. We spent a week together.

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